usefulapiShiftbase MCP server
Read Shiftbase rosters, timesheets, absences and availability; schedule shifts and review absences. Hosted by usefulapi: connect it to Claude, ChatGPT, Cursor or any MCP client.
What can I ask?
Turn on the Shiftbase connector, then ask in plain words. The AI picks the tools.
- Who is scheduled to work next week, by team?
- Which open shifts can employees still pick up this week?
- Who was absent last month and for how many days?
- What hours did each employee work last week according to timesheets?
What you can do with Shiftbase in Claude and ChatGPT
For shift managers and HR staff who plan rosters, timesheets and absences in Shiftbase.
See who is scheduled to work, by team and date
The AI lists scheduled shifts for a date range of up to 62 days, with employee, team, shift type, times, hours and cost.
Find open shifts and employee availability
The AI lists open shifts that employees can still pick up and reads employee availability for a date range, so you can fill gaps.
Check worked hours and who is clocked in
The AI lists timesheets with clock in and out, breaks, totals and status, and shows who is clocked in right now with their scheduled shift.
Summarize absences for a period
The AI lists leave, sick leave and other absences with type, dates, hours or days and status, so you see who was absent and for how long.
Schedule a shift or change an existing one
The AI puts an employee on the schedule for one date with a shift type, times and break, or moves a scheduled shift. The employee is notified only if you ask.
Changes dataRequest an absence, or approve or decline one
The AI adds an absence request for an employee, with hours from Shiftbase's own calculation, or approves or declines a pending request.
Changes dataHow do I connect Shiftbase?
Before you connect
The login page asks for your Shiftbase API key.
Create one in Shiftbase → Settings → App center → Public API → Add. The open API needs the App Center Plus add-on. Your key is used only to call the Shiftbase API on your behalf; it is never shown to anyone.
Claude claude.ai · Desktop
- Open Customize → Connectors, then click + Add → Add custom connector.
- Enter the name Shiftbase and this URL, then click Add:https://
shiftbase. usefulapi. io/ mcp - Claude opens the login page: enter your Shiftbase API key.
- In a chat, click + → Connectors and turn on Shiftbase.
Team and Enterprise: an Owner adds the connector for the organization first.
ChatGPT chatgpt.com
- Open Plugins, click +, then Add custom MCP server.
- Enter the name Shiftbase and this URL, choose OAuth as the authentication, confirm the warning and create it:https://
shiftbase. usefulapi. io/ mcp - ChatGPT opens the login page: enter your Shiftbase API key.
- In Plugins, install Shiftbase, then choose it in a chat.
No Add custom MCP server option? It depends on your account or workspace settings: see OpenAI's guide.
Claude Code
Run this command, then run /mcp in Claude Code to log in:
Cursor
Add to Cursor or add this to ~/.cursor/mcp.json:
{
"mcpServers": {
"shiftbase": {
"url": "https://shiftbase.usefulapi.io/mcp"
}
}
} VS Code
Add to VS Code or add this to .vscode/mcp.json:
{
"servers": {
"shiftbase": {
"type": "http",
"url": "https://shiftbase.usefulapi.io/mcp"
}
}
} Codex
Run these commands. The second one opens the login page:
Other clients
Windsurf, Cline, Zed and other MCP clients: add this URL as a remote MCP server (Streamable HTTP). The client then opens the login page in your browser.
Add only the URL. Do not add an Authorization header or an API key to the client config. The server signs you in with OAuth: the login page asks for your Shiftbase API key. If the config has such a header, remove it: some clients then send that header instead of the login token, and every call fails with 401.
Guides
- Read the Shiftbase schedule per department from Claude
Claude or ChatGPT can list the Shiftbase schedule for a department and date range, with employees, hours and open shifts, and move a shift when you ask.
17 October 2026
Pricing
| Plan | Price | Limit |
|---|---|---|
| Free | $0 | 50 tool calls / month |
| Proper account | $9/mo · $90/yr | 10,000 tool calls / month |
| Pro+per account | $39/mo · $390/yr | 100,000 tool calls / month |
Each paid plan covers this Shiftbase server only. Ask your AI to run shiftbase_upgrade and choose Pro or Pro+, billed monthly or yearly (it returns a Stripe Checkout link). If you already have Pro, ask to change it to Pro+. The change requires your confirmation, keeps your billing interval and charges the price difference for the rest of the period immediately. Cancel any time with shiftbase_cancel_subscription: your paid plan continues to the end of the paid period, with no refund for the current period, and asking to resume the same plan with shiftbase_upgrade before then undoes the cancel. Or write to support@usefulapi.io.
Tools 26
Show all 26 tools (the AI picks them for you)
Read only · 18
- Get account
shiftbase_get_accountThe Shiftbase account this API key belongs to: company, country, time zone, working-day start/end, plan facts. - List employees
shiftbase_list_usersList employees (users) with their teams and departments, contact details, employee number, start/end dates and plus-min hours balance. Use it to map user ids in schedules, timesheets and absences to names. Identity, bank and birth data are never returned. - Get employee
shiftbase_get_userOne employee by user id or email address, with teams and departments. - List departments
shiftbase_list_departmentsList departments (sites/branches that own teams, shifts and schedules) with address and timesheet/clocking settings. - List teams
shiftbase_list_teamsList teams (the rows of the schedule within a department), optionally for one department. - List locations
shiftbase_list_locationsList active locations (addresses that group departments). - List shift types
shiftbase_list_shift_typesList shift types (the templates a scheduled shift uses: name, short name, default start/end time and break), optionally for one department. Their ids are the shift_id for shiftbase_create_roster. - List scheduled shifts
shiftbase_list_rostersList the schedule (rosters = shifts assigned to employees) for a date range of at most 62 days: date, start/end time, break, employee, team, shift type, department, published state, hours and cost. Each item's occurrence_id identifies it for shiftbase_get_roster and shiftbase_update_roster. - Get scheduled shift
shiftbase_get_rosterOne scheduled shift by its occurrence_id, with the employee, shift type, team and who created/changed it. - List open shifts
shiftbase_list_open_shiftsList open (unassigned) shifts that employees can pick up, for a date range of at most 62 days (default: today). Needs the Basic plan or higher. - Get employee availability
shiftbase_get_availabilityEmployee availability (available / unavailable, all day or from a time) for a date range of at most 62 days, from Shiftbase's availability report. Needs the Basic plan and the "View reports" permission. POST /reports/availability (export json; reads only). - List timesheets
shiftbase_list_timesheetsList timesheets (worked hours: clock in/out, breaks, total, status Approved/Declined/Pending, wage and surcharges) for a date range of at most 62 days. - Get timesheet
shiftbase_get_timesheetOne timesheet by id, with its clocked breaks. - List clocked-in employees
shiftbase_list_clocked_inWho is clocked in right now: employee, since when, their scheduled shift, team, department and location. - List absences
shiftbase_list_absencesList absences (leave, sick leave, other time off) overlapping a date range of at most 366 days: employee, absence type, start/end date, hours or days, status Approved/Declined/Pending and who reviewed it. Needs the Basic plan. - Get absence
shiftbase_get_absenceOne absence by id, with the per-day hours and who reviewed it. - List absence types
shiftbase_list_absence_typesList absence types (e.g. Holiday, Sick, Unpaid leave): name, unit (hours or days), whether it costs leave hours, colour. Their ids are the absence_type_id for absences. - Get expected absence hours
shiftbase_get_expected_absence_hoursHow many hours an absence would cost for an employee, per day and in total (from the schedule or the contract, per the absence policy), for a period of at most 366 days. Changes nothing.
Changes data · 4
- Schedule a shift
shiftbase_create_rosterWRITE: put one employee on the schedule for one date (a single, non-recurring shift) in a team, with a shift type, start/end time and break. The employee is notified only when notify is true. - Change a scheduled shift
shiftbase_update_rosterWRITE: change a scheduled shift: move it to another date, time, employee, team or shift type, or change its break or note. Reads the shift first and sends it back with your changes. For a recurring shift, scope says what changes: "occurrence" (this date only), "sequence" (this date and all later ones) or "original" (the whole series; also the right scope for a non-recurring shift). - Request an absence
shiftbase_request_absenceWRITE: add an absence (leave/time-off request) for an employee. By default it is a Pending request for a manager to review; status Approved books it directly (needs the approve-absence permission). The hours per day come from Shiftbase's own expected-hours calculation (the same as shiftbase_get_expected_absence_hours). Needs the Basic plan. - Approve or decline an absence
shiftbase_review_absenceWRITE: approve or decline an absence request. Reads the absence first and sends it back unchanged except for the status (needs the approve-absence permission).
Your usefulapi plan · 4
- Usage status (free-tier meter)
shiftbase_usage_statusReport the caller's current usage: the plan, calls used this month, the limit of the plan (the free monthly cap or the Pro fair use limit), remaining, and whether the limit is reached. Read-only; does not count against the meter. - Request a missing feature
shiftbase_request_featureTell usefulapi that the user needs something the Shiftbase tools cannot do yet (a missing tool, field or filter). Call it only when the user asks for something none of the tools can do, and tell the user that you send the request. Do not call it for errors or for normal requests. Do not include personal data, credentials or customer records. Stored with the product name and the client type (for example Claude or Cursor), without the user's account. At most 5 requests per day. Does not count against the meter. - Upgrade to Pro or Pro+
shiftbase_upgradeGet a paid plan for Shiftbase (the free tier caps monthly usage). Pro: 10,000 tool calls a month, for normal use — plan "monthly" ($9/month) or "yearly" ($90/year, 2 months free). Pro+: 100,000 tool calls a month, for automations and heavy use — plan "plus" ($39/month) or "plus_yearly" ($390/year). Without a plan it returns both Pro and Pro+, each with a payment link, for the user to choose; with a plan, one link. An existing Pro subscription changes to Pro+ in place: call without confirm first, as the reply states the exact charge for this account (the price difference for the rest of the period, or in a free Pro trial the full Pro+ price, as the trial ends); then call with confirm: true. Cancel any time: the plan then runs to the end of the paid period, so it also suits a one-time job. A link opens Stripe Checkout in the browser; after payment the account upgrades automatically. Does not count against the meter. - Cancel the Pro subscription
shiftbase_cancel_subscriptionCancel the caller's Shiftbase Pro subscription at the end of the paid period (no refund for the current period; Pro continues until then, then the free tier applies). Requires confirm: true. Run shiftbase_upgrade later to undo the cancel before the period ends. Does not count against the meter.
FAQ
What can I do with Shiftbase in Claude or ChatGPT?
See who is scheduled to work, by team and date. Find open shifts and employee availability. Check worked hours and who is clocked in. Summarize absences for a period. Schedule a shift or change an existing one. Request an absence, or approve or decline one. See what you can do for the details.
Is this an official Shiftbase product?
No. usefulapi is an independent service. It is not affiliated with or endorsed by Shiftbase. The server calls the Shiftbase API with your own Shiftbase access, so it sees only the data that your account can see.
Can I connect Shiftbase to Claude or ChatGPT?
Yes. In Claude, add this server's URL as a custom connector. In ChatGPT, add it as a custom MCP server in Plugins. Then log in once. Cursor, VS Code, Claude Code and Codex work too. See the setup steps.
What do I need to connect?
The login page asks for your Shiftbase API key. See Before you connect for where to find it.
Do I put my Shiftbase key or an Authorization header in the client config?
No. Add only the URL. Do not add an Authorization header or an API key to the client config. The server signs you in with OAuth: the login page asks for your Shiftbase API key. If the config has such a header, remove it: some clients then send that header instead of the login token, and every call fails with 401.
How do you keep my Shiftbase credentials?
The login stores them encrypted in the authorization grant of your connection. The server uses them to call the Shiftbase API for you and to derive a private account id for usage metering. usefulapi does not show them on any page or in any reply. To stop all access, remove the connector and change or delete these credentials in Shiftbase.
Can the AI change my Shiftbase data?
Yes, if you approve it. 4 of the 22 Shiftbase tools can create or change data. The other 18 are marked read-only. Most MCP clients ask you to approve a tool call before it runs.
What does it cost?
The Free plan gives 50 tool calls / month. Pro costs $9/mo or $90/yr, with 10,000 tool calls / month. Pro+ costs $39/mo or $390/yr, with 100,000 tool calls / month. Each subscription covers this Shiftbase server only. Cancel any time: your paid plan then runs to the end of the paid period. Run shiftbase_usage_status to see how many calls you used.
How do I subscribe or cancel?
Ask the AI to run shiftbase_upgrade and choose Pro or Pro+, billed monthly or yearly: it returns a Stripe Checkout link. If you already have Pro, ask to change it to Pro+. After you confirm, your existing subscription changes in place, keeps its billing interval and charges the price difference for the rest of the period immediately. To cancel, run shiftbase_cancel_subscription. Your paid plan continues to the end of the paid period.
What if a Shiftbase tool that I need is missing?
Tell the AI what you wanted to do. It can send the request with shiftbase_request_feature. We store the text with the server name, the type of AI client and the tool you tried, not with your account, and read every request when we plan new tools. You can send up to 5 requests per day.
Which AI clients can I use?
Any client that supports remote MCP servers (Streamable HTTP) with OAuth login: Claude (web and desktop), Claude Code, ChatGPT, Codex, Cursor, VS Code, Windsurf and others.
This is a Model Context Protocol endpoint — meant to be connected from an AI client, not opened in a browser. An invalid_token response at the URL is the auth gate working as designed; clients authenticate automatically.
Need a tool this server does not have, or a connection to another system? We build custom integrations and MCP servers.